Buying a new car is a big purchase. While there are many things we'll buy during the year, your car is something you'll have at least for five years if you are like most people. For the majority of us we keep our cars for a very long time. But buying a car is a lot of pressure and many people are scared they will make a mistake when buying that car. How can you be sure you are choosing exactly the right car? Try these 5 steps to buying a new car without regret and you'll be driving along in the car of your dreams in no time.
Plan your car purchase. Even if your car purchase is unexpected because your current vehicle has broken down, you should still be patient with your car purchase. Give yourself enough time to think about what your family needs and how much you can afford. A great place to find reliable information about the cars you are considering is in the car forums on the internet. Here you will read what the owners really like and dislike about their cars. If you have another vehicle to trade in, you should consider selling it on your own because you will get a much better return on your investment. All of these things take some time, but they will help get the most out of your car deal.
Check your credit and finances for confidence and knowledge. Anyone buying a car knows that they will check your credit report. This is very simple as few of us can afford to buy a car for outright cash. Checking your credit report may uncover things you wish weren't there. Discovering them now gives you an advantage to fix and improve them. Hiding from your credit report or simply hoping that your credit report is okay won't help you a bit when you shop for a new car. Your credit history and FICO score determine how much you can borrow and what interest rates you qualify for. Knowing this in advance will help you predict what type of a car you can afford at this time.
Put some thought into your test drive. Some new car buyers are so excited to get their car that they barely pay attention to the test drive. They may do it - but they are just thinking about signing on that dotted line. Do your test drives at a time when you can really pay attention. Work all of the features in the car and see how easy or hard they are. See how noisy the car is. See how smooth the car's ride is. See how comfortable the car is to sit in. Try driving the car over different types of road and feel what that is like. Give yourself a good test drive so you know you are getting the very best new car for you and your family.
Be a confident negotiator. You don't have to be some slick huckster in order to be a good negotiator. In fact, you are better off being a confident and informed consumer if you want the best deal. Do your research to find what the car is truly worth and what you are willing to pay for it. Those are the most important things. It is also a good idea to act casual about the car, so that the car dealer doesn't know how excited you are to want to take the car home with you. The excited new car buyer is one they know will make any kind of deal. The more casual car buyer is one they may have to make a deal with - that's when you can walk away happy.
Look at at least six cars. Car buying can be tough and you should do some comparison-shopping. Try looking at least six cars so you have a sense of what else is available in your price range. Not only will this give you more data to think about, but you will also be able to compare the services of different dealerships. Taking the extra time to look at several different models will improve your confidence as a car shopper and sales negotiator.
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